Cannabis Blog

California is preparing to launch a fully legal cannabis trade that stands to boost the state’s economy to the tune of $5 billion, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

The piece, which is based on a new study from the University of California Agricultural Issues Center, says that, while the state’s newest version of a cannabis industry will undoubtedly generate impressive revenues, it will likely take some time before the entire scope of the cannabis community gets onboard with a fully legal system.

The study shows that around 30 percent of the state’s pot buyers will still frequent the black market in order to avoid paying taxes and other aspects of the legal trade.

But the gap will eventually close—just like it did once alcohol was finally pulled from the grips of prohibition.

In the next several months, the industry is expecting to welcome two additional recreational cannabis markets, both of which have had operating medicinal cannabis programs for a number of years. Nevada is expected to launch a temporary licensing program to officially allow recreational sales starting July 1, 2017. Meanwhile, the very first medical cannabis program in the United States, California, is expected to begin recreational sales early 2018. Neither of these states will be the first to make the switch from medical to recreational, but they do have the benefit of learning from the multiple states who have already made the transition. As a business owner, this isn’t as simple as, “Hey, I have a rec license, so now I can start selling rec.” You have to consider new data points that are required for compliance, new regulations in place that require you to alter your establishment premises, then figure out how to completely redo your workflows to stay compliant with the new structure. Let’s look at the history of this process and some of the challenges licensees have faced in making the switch.

While Republican Governor Rick Scott says he will sign the practically useless MMJ bill, the principle backer of the amendment intends to sue over the law’s ban on smoking.

That man is Orlando attorney John Morgan, who has been steadfast in defending the rights of that 71 percent who voted for the amendment with the expectation that smoking would be one of the obvious ways to consume cannabis.